The Furious: Martial Arts Epic Delivers Spectacular Action Choreography

Directed by Japanese filmmaker and longtime action choreographer Kenji Tanigaki, 'The Furious' follows two men — a journalist played by Joe Taslim and a mute father played by Xie Miao — who team up to rescue their loved ones from a violent child-trafficking syndicate operating somewhere in Southeast Asia. The film features a multinational ensemble including Yayan Ruhian, Jeeja Yanin, Brian Le, and Joey Iwanaga, and was choreographed by Kensuke Sonomura. Critics across outlets have singled out the fight choreography as exceptional, praising its visceral physicality, inventive use of props such as bicycles, ladders, and sledgehammers, and the distinct movement styles assigned to each character. The film debuted at TIFF's Midnight Madness section, where it placed second in People's Choice voting, and held a near-perfect 99% critics score and 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of its wide release. Reviewers noted that the sparse, multilingually dubbed dialogue and thin plot are clear weaknesses, with the AV Club raising the possibility that AI lip-sync technology may have been used for English-language dubbing. Despite these narrative shortcomings, the consensus is that 'The Furious' delivers an exceptional, crowd-pleasing action experience that stands out in the genre.